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Book Description

American Sailor Kurt Reid is a hothead and a hard case—a man who hits first and asks questions later. As scrappy and rough around the edges as Jimmy Cagney, it’s no wonder that when the ship’s captain turns up dead, it’s Reid who takes the rap.

Falsely accused and under the gun, Reid jumps ship and vanishes into Shanghai —only to get caught in a web of intrigue, betrayal, and murder. In a world where nothing is what it seems and everything is for sale, he’s soon out of his depth, drawn into a spy game in which the winner takes all . . . and the loser takes a knife to the back.

Will Reid live up to his reputation as the Spy Killer? He’ll have to learn the rules fast, because with players like sexy Russian agent Varinka Savischna in the hunt, the game is about to turn as seductive as it is sinister.

As a young man, Hubbard visited pre-Communist China three times, where his closest friend headed up British intelligence. In a land where communists, nationalists, war lords and foreign adventurers schemed for control, Hubbard gained a unique insight into the intelligence operations and spy-craft in the region—a knowledge that informs stories like Spy Killer.

American Sailor Kurt Reid is a hothead and a hard case—a man who hits first and asks questions later. As scrappy and rough around the edges as Jimmy Cagney, it’s no wonder that when the ship’s captain turns up dead, it’s Reid who takes the rap.

Falsely accused and under the gun, Reid jumps ship and vanishes into Shanghai —only to get caught in a web of intrigue, betrayal, and murder. In a world where nothing is what it seems and everything is for sale, he’s soon out of his depth, drawn into a spy game in which the winner takes all . . . and the loser takes a knife to the back.

Will Reid live up to his reputation as the Spy Killer? He’ll have to learn the rules fast, because with players like sexy Russian agent Varinka Savischna in the hunt, the game is about to turn as seductive as it is sinister.

As a young man, Hubbard visited pre-Communist China three times, where his closest friend headed up British intelligence. In a land where communists, nationalists, war lords and foreign adventurers schemed for control, Hubbard gained a unique insight into the intelligence operations and spy-craft in the region—a knowledge that informs stories like Spy Killer.

More About the Author

Author, humanitarian and Founder of Dianetics and Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard is one of the most acclaimed figures of the modern age.

In a writing career spanning more than half a century, he was both a leading light of American fiction and the author of more than 35 million words of nonfiction--the single most embracive statement on the human mind and spirit, providing the only road to total spiritual freedom.

To date, more than 250 million copies of his works are in circulation worldwide, in 71 languages. All told, those works comprise over 3,000 recorded lectures and some 5,000 writings, including nineteen New York Times bestsellers.

Accordingly, and in testament to the magnitude of his literary legacy, there are his four Guinness World Records: most published author, most translated author, the author with the most audiobook titles and the single most translated non-religious work.

Yet the essence of L. Ron Hubbard's legacy is perhaps best expressed in his simple declaration:

"I like to help others and count it as my greatest pleasure in life to see a person free himself of the shadows which darken his days.

"These shadows look so thick to him and weigh him down so that when he finds they are shadows and that he can see through them, walk through them and be again in the sun, he is enormously delighted. And I am afraid I am just as delighted as he is."

First this is an excellent kindle edition as it is true to the original and contains no scanning errors also it contains copies of the original artwork which can be zoomed to view in addition there is a glossary which contains words or phrases not in common use now but were widely used America in the 1930/40s. Also included in the book complete with photographs is a comprehensive biography of L Ron Hubbard.The actual story is typical of the type written at the time when authors had to bash out stories in minimal time to meet editor's time scales and often paid by the word. However it is still a good story that does not seem, apart from the language to have dated. This book is one of the series of Oriental stories. Without giving away much of the plot a bucko (from the glossary "a person who is dominating and bullying") is persuaded to track down and kill a spy, but first he has to find him, after that there are a series of adventures which ends of course with him finding the spy but the ending is not what is expected. Good reading if only to get a flavour of this type of book.

This is okay for a bit of light reading and it's easy to see how pulp fiction became popular before all the electronic distractions we have nowadays. Designed to be a quick, light , disposable read. It is slightly dated but not enough to ruin the story. Not something you'd want to spend much money on but considering it's free give it a go.

Never read any L Ron Hubbard before, this was a great introduction. He was a superb writer. Just hope more pulp magazines stories will be available for the Kindle if this is anything to go by. Definitely will be purchasing more of the series

Kurt Reid is falsely accused of murder. In Shanghai he gets caught by the Chinese who coerce him into killing one of their political opponents. "Spy Killer" is another one of Hubbard's 1930s pulp adventures that will keep you entertained for the short time it takes to read it and be forgotten shortly afterwards. I enjoy these quick reads but I don't think they're worth their full list price.